Coleman pride following Silva’s Everton captaincy decision

In the lead-up to Everton starting off their 2019-20 Premier League season away at Crystal Palace, manager Marco Silva made a small announcement about who the club captain for the season would be, and who else was on that list.

As expected by many, Seamus Coleman was earmarked as the man to take over from Phil Jagielka who left the club this summer. Additionally, Leighton Baines and Gylfi Sigurdsson remain in that group, but with another change as 2018-19 Player of the Season Lucas Digne replaces Tom Davies.

Speaking to evertontv today, the Republic of Ireland captain spoke about what it meant to him -

“The manager spoke to us this week and announced the captaincy decision; it was a very proud moment for me, a reward for all the hard work over the years.

“I am very, very proud to be captain of such a great football club, a massive football club. I am delighted. To be Everton captain is an amazing feeling.

“But without talking it down, the captaincy doesn’t change who I am or what I do. With or without the armband, I give my all to this football club. Whether I play well or not, I give my all.

“The armband is a nice touch but it won’t change how I go about my day-to-day business.”

Coleman captained the Toffees 22 times last season while Jagielka was not on the pitch, and acknowledges that he has responsibility for another group of new faces that have walked in the doors at Finch Farm this summer.

“That is the case as captain and as a player who has been here so long. Whether you have the armband or not, you have a duty to make new players feel at home.

“In the past five or six years, as I have become more comfortable, I thought it was important to make new and foreign players feel at home and happy.

“If they are happy, they will perform on the pitch.”

The Blues got the season off to a wobbly start, controlling large portions of the game and being relatively intact in the back at Selhurst Park, but failing to find the elusive winner.

“We always want to win and this weekend was no different. We had a few chances – although Palace had some in the second half.

“Our objective is always to win – but if you cannot do that it is important to make sure you do not lose. We kept a clean sheet which is a positive and enables us to move forward.”

Despite the Blues’ long trophy drought, the 30-year-old reiterated his dream of winning some silverware with Everton, and to do it as a skipper would only magnify that achievement.

“I came to the Club a long time ago and just wanted to get in the team, so I am very proud to be captain.

“And wouldn’t it be great to win something at Everton – being captain, it would be that extra bit special.”